A business game is an imitation of a real production (managerial or economic) situation. Creating a simplified model of the workflow allows each participant in real life, but within the framework of certain rules, play a role, make a decision, take action.
Business game method
Business games (CI) are an effective method of practical training and are used quite widely. They are used as a means of cognition in management, economics, ecology, medicine and other fields.
Actively used in the world for the study of the science of control of steelmaking since the mid-20th century. S.P. made a significant contribution to the development of gaming technologies. Rubinstein, K.D. Ushinsky, Z. Freud and other scientists.
This method allows you to simulate an object (organization) or simulate a process (decision making, management cycle). Production and business situations are associated with subordination to a superior, and organizational and management situations with the management of a department, group, employee.
The players can set different goals, to achieve which they use the knowledge of the basics of sociology, economics, management methods. The outcome of the game will be related to the degree of achievement of goals and the quality of management.
Business Game Classification
CI can be classified according to many criteria.
Sign | Types of games |
Reflection of reality | Real (practice) | Theoretical (abstract) |
Level of difficulty | Small (one task, a small team of players) | High (large teams, many practical tasks, playing in several stages) |
Evaluation of results | Assessment of the jury, expert | Self-esteem |
Regulations | Tough with a clear course of action, time frame | Free (without strict regulations) |
By purpose and purpose, the following types of MD are distinguished:
1. Educational (lay knowledge, skills):
- research (contribute to the acquisition of new knowledge);
- for practical activities (form skills);
- search (search for information or a joint solution).
2. For vocational guidance.
3. To assess and improve training.
4. For the selection of specialists for a vacant position.
MD can be classified by the number of participants (team, personal) and by the interests of the parties:
- affiliate game (working out team skills with common or opposite interests);
- confrontation of parties, teams;
- competition of individual participants, the assessment of the results of which is not interconnected;
- MDIs with an unpredictable external environment or participants with no goals.
Varieties of business games
Forms of a business game | Characteristic | Examples of business games |
Group discussion | Forms team work skills. Players perform the same task, observing the rules of the discussion. After the time has passed, the answers are sorted out and evaluated. | âShipwreckâ, âFlight to the Moonâ, âMeetingâ, âCoordination Councilâ |
Role-playing game | Everyone has to play an individual role, simulate situations. Roles are neutral, do not cause emotions. | âClient Relations Managerâ, âTrade Union and Employeesâ, âManager and Subordinateâ |
Salon game | Held in an organized space or field, has strict rules. Game results, points are fixed. | âField of miraclesâ, chess, âMonopolyâ, âOwn gameâ |
Emotionally active game | It is a form of training that models the situation of human relations without strict rules. | "Conflict" and other imitation of competitive, partnership, dependent relations |
Blitz game | A game with elements of discussion, brainstorming, role-playing games and situation analysis. | âSea battleâ, âAuctionâ, âCrosswordâ, âWho knows moreâ, âPresentationâ |
Simulation game | Imitation of practice. Participants together or individually solve the problem. | âEthics of the managerâ, âGossip at the companyâ, âHow to keep an employee from being fired?â, âBlackmailâ |
Innovative | Aimed at generating new ideas in a non-standard situation. | Self-organization training, brainstorming |
Strategic | Collective creation of a picture of the future development of the situation. | âCreating a new productâ, âEntering new marketsâ |
All of the above technologies and examples of business games are interconnected. It is recommended to use them in combination for effective practical activity of participants and achievement of assigned tasks.
How to organize the game?
Organization of a business game is carried out according to certain rules.
- Themes of business games are diverse, but their conditions should be relevant and close to the life situation, problem. Players may not have the experience to solve it, but they possess basic knowledge, imagination, and other abilities.
- The end result common for the whole team, achievement of the goal, worked out solution.
- There may be several correct decisions. The ability to look for different ways to solve the problem must be laid down in the condition.
- Participants themselves choose roles and behaviors to successfully solve the problem. An interesting and rather complex situational task encourages a creative search and application of knowledge.
Stages
- Preparatory stage. Identification of problems, choice of topics and definition of tasks. The choice of the type and form of the game, work on the game strategy, preparation of materials.
- Entering participants into the game situation. Attraction of interest, goal-setting, team building, mobilization of participants.
- Group or individual work according to the established rules or without them.
- Conclusions and analysis of the results independently and / or with the involvement of experts.
Conducting a business game can be associated with a large number of stages. During the course of the game, participants will have to identify the problem, consider and analyze the situation, and develop proposals for solving the problem. Discussion of the game and wishes complete the work.
Business game "Production Meeting"
Actual problems in production management are modeled by an active business management game. An example includes a characterization and scenario of a business game, Production Meeting. It is held at the end of the Management course, when students already have an idea of ââthe principles of management and the role of the production process.
The participants of the game:
- employees of the enterprise (7 people). The meeting is attended by the director, production deputy, head of the technical department, head of the assembly shop, head of the turning shop, foreman, secretary;
- group of experts (10 people).
Steam engine repair or machine-building plant (organization of any profile with an average or small number of personnel). The companyâs owners have recently been appointed a new director. He was introduced to the staff and managers of the plant. The Director will have an operational meeting for the first time.
Game Plan for the Production Meeting
Business game scenario |
Introduction | Introduction. Goals and theme of the game. |
Game situation | Familiarization with the situation at the company. |
Meeting Preparation Plan | - Role distribution (7 employees and 10 experts)
|
- the facilitator organizes informing the participants of the game with the characteristics of the employees at the meeting.
- removal of the director for a while to another office "for production" need.
- further, the facilitator communicates to the participants information about the behavior of employees at the meeting (from the characteristics). Those present at the meeting reacted to the new authorities with skepticism and distrust.
|
|
|
Meeting | Speech by the director, reaction and questions from the bosses. |
Discussion and collective discussion of issues. | What will be the behavior of the director at the meeting? What can he say or do to establish business contacts with employees? What management decisions can he make when summing up the results of the first operational meeting? |
Summarizing | Conclusions from experts, from participants in the game. Self-esteem. Did you solve the set tasks, did you achieve the goals? |
Role-playing game
Entering a production situation in a certain role is an interesting business game. Examples for students can be very diverse. One has only to connect imagination.
- Role-playing game "Interview". The department head conducts an interview in the form of an interview with the applicant. Vacant position - sales manager. Before the game, participants read the biography and characteristics of their hero. After studying the documents (10 minutes), the leader begins the interview. When summing up the results, it is estimated how the boss conducted the interview and interview, analyzed the information in the documents, which decision he made. The applicant evaluates the work of the leader.
- Role-playing game "Conflict client." The game is played in pairs. The department head answers the phone of an angry customer. The customer makes complaints about the quality of the goods. It is assessed whether the manager will be able to cope with the conflict situation and build a conversation properly.
- Role-playing game âAssessment of employee professionalismâ. The player from the position of leader evaluates the activities of the employee, using information about the effectiveness of the team. Based on the data, he fills in the certification form and prepares for an interview with the employee. Pondering how to build a conversation, what questions to ask. The role of an employee can be a young specialist, a woman with two children, an advanced employee, and others. As a result, it is evaluated how the player formulated the questions, highlighted the main thing.
Strategic business game. Examples for students
The strategic game "Knitting Factory" Style "." The management of the knitting factory plans to expand sales markets. This requires the production of better and more demanded products. In addition, it is planned to launch several new production lines.
It has long been planned to replace equipment in several workshops. The problem was the lack of financial resources associated with large receivables. Which strategy is acceptable in this situation? What can factory management do? Forecast based on table data. Several indicators of financial and economic activity are recommended to be presented for three years.
Sample Management Game Topics
The form | Examples of business games |
Group discussion | âMaking management decisions. Choosing a candidate for the position of director " "Organizational culture of college students" âManagement cycle in an educational institutionâ |
Role-playing game | "Personnel certification" "How to ask for an increase in salary?" "Phone Talks" "Conclusion of a contract" |
Emotionally active game | âEthics of business communication. Love affair at work" "The conflict between the heads of departments" "Business conversation. Dismissal of an employee â "To handle the stress" |
Simulation game | âControl Efficiencyâ "Development of a business plan" "Business letter" âPreparation of the annual reportâ |
Game method and case method
When planning a business game, it is recommended to combine its various forms. The game may contain cases (situations). The case method is different from the method of business games, as it focuses on finding and solving a problem. Examples of business games are related to the development of skills, the formation of skills.
Thus, a case is a model of a certain situation, and a business game is a model of practical activity.
The business game method allows you to easily present management principles and decision-making processes. The main advantage of the games is the active participation of the group, the team of players.